Quote:
Originally Posted by Smoky
That fast back crap won't help a bit, it will only add weight. A pickup truck already gets that effect by the turbulant air behind the cab with no extra weight.
If you want to better the aero in the bed area: use a tonneau cover and put a 6-8" piece of aluminum extending the roof off the back of the cab and tonneau cover over the tailgate. that should get you up to 2mpg at highway speeds with minimal weight. A truck cap with the extension off the back would also do.
Plug any holes in front, lower truck, add a front air dam, remove trailer hitch and replace rr bumper with roll pan, remove all extra weight. Get smaller mirrors. Use under-drive engine pulleys. tune up the truck. Increase gearing
|
I'm going to have to differ with you with respect to the fast back in a contextual way.
'Fast back' is designated to pseudo-Jaray rooflines which exceed contours which will support boundary layer attachment and are associated with separated flow as well as significant longitudinal vorticity of very high drag.
Here at the Aero Forum we've been promoting what is typically referred to as a 'Kamm' roof contour.
Alfa probably started it in 1913 with their airship car built for Count Ricotti.
Jaray included it in his patent application of 1922.
Walter Lay used it in 1933.
Kamm in 1935.
The list goes on to some of today's highest performance vehicles,land speed record cars,economy champions,and solar racers.
The' boat-tailing' which this form facilitates is historically proven to be the path to the lowest drag.
Also,its ovoid form,next to a sphere,is one of the strongest forms known and consequently can be one of the lightest structures for its surface area and contained volume.
When pickup trucks are modified with this form they can achieve fuel economy which meets,or exceeds many smaller.lighter passenger cars when on the open road.